Identity a New Creation - Richard Sutton - 1-10-2021
Teachers
Lesson Summary
During the January 10, 2021 class, Richard Sutton concluded the church’s identity series by emphasizing that every believer receives a new nature through union with Christ. He cited 2 Peter 1:3‑4 to explain the divine nature granted to believers, Romans 12:1‑2 to call for presenting our bodies as living sacrifices and renewing our minds, and 2 Corinthians 5:17 to declare that anyone in Christ becomes a new creation, leaving the old self behind. Sutton illustrated this truth with everyday identifiers—fingerprints, irises, birth certificates, and military dog tags—to show how God uniquely marks each person. He traced the historical development of dog tags from the Civil War through World Wars, underscoring humanity’s deep need to be known and remembered. By linking these earthly identifiers to our spiritual identity, he encouraged the congregation to recognise their distinct, God‑given worth and to live out their new creation status in daily life. The lesson concluded with a challenge to embrace the transformational work of the Holy Spirit, allowing the renewed mind to shape thoughts, actions, and purpose as a living sacrifice to God.
Key Scriptures
If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.